Adhesive applying apparatus



Aug. 14, 1951 A. w. MOFFAT ADHESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 1, 1949 INVENTOR.

Hil fi MN ..m I A mm S. ifl mv am R HWQ QTTU /VEV Patented Aug. 14, 1951 ADHESIVE APPLYING APPARATUS Alexander W. Moilat, Boston, Mass., assignor to Handling Devices 00., Inc., Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 1, 1949, Serial No. 73,969

' '4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus particularly useful in connection with the loading of a multiplicity of transportable units onto an adhesively interlocked load, as in a freight car or on a pallet or skid, and comprises apparatus for applying adhesive to an external surface of each unit, for example a corrugated paper box, as at a station along a conveyor so that as the box is lifted from the conveyor and stacked in the load, it'

will bear on its bottom surface adhesive areas which will stick to the freight car floor, to the pallet or to an underlying unit already positioned and thus form, upon completion of the loading, a substantially rigid load of adhesively interlocked units.

Preferably the apparatus is designed to apply adhesive to each unit in separated patches so that, in unloading the units from the pallet, there will be a minimum of damage to the surface of the units in the breaking of the adhesive bonds.

A main object of this invention is the provision of apparatus which will apply the adhesive in patches to theundersurface of articles supported on the apparatus, without having any of the mechanism for operating the adhesive applicators extending into the path of the articles as they move along the conveyor to or away from the adhesive application station. In other words, all of the operating mechanism is positioned below the plane of the bottom of the box.

Additionally, the apparatus includes applicator mechanism which is normally submerged beneath the level of a liquid adhesive contained in a tank so that a quick drying adhesive may be used without the adhesive drying or caking on the applicator, the applicator being moved above the surface of the liquid adhesive only as it is intermittently brought momentarily to a position to apply adhesive to a box at the station, and in a manner which prevents throwing of the adhesive into undesired areas, or onto the apparatus where it will dry, accumulate and cause stoppages.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such apparatus wherein the actuating mechanism for the applicator does not require apertures in the tank holding the adhesive. A further object of the invention is the provision of structure which will permit ready removal of the applicator so as to permit cleaning of the adhesive holding tank. These and other objects of the invention will in part be described further and in part be apparent from a more detailed description of the invention, when given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the apparatus omitting certain obvious frame portions which are not shown;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, showing two of the mechanisms of Fig. 2 assembled together in the apparatus of Fig. 1.

The mechanism of this invention is supported on a tubular frame, only certain portions of which are shown in the drawing, including three tubular cross-pieces l0, I2 and I4. Mounted longitudinally on the apparatus adjacent the ends of these cross-pieces are longitudinally extending brackets I6 and I8 (Fig. 3) which have journaled on the inside thereof, at suitably spaced intervals, series of idler rollers 20 adapted to support a standard size carton, guided by the top flanges of the brackets l6 and I8 as indicated by the dotand-dash lines in Fig. 3 representing the bottom portion of a conventional carton. The brackets l6 and 8 may be made laterally adjustable to accommodate various widths of carton.

Loosely hung. on the cross-pieces I2 and I4 and extending therebetween is an adhesive tank 30, one end of which issupported on the crosspiece I2 through extension 3! and the other end of which rests on cross-piece it through extension 32. It will be noted that the top of the tank 34 is below the plane passing through the top limits of the rollers 20, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The right hand end wall 36 of the tank 30, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is inclined and has supported on its inner surface a pair of spaced angle irons 38 and 39, Fig. 2.

The other end of the tank 30 is likewise provided with a pair of spaced angle irons 4B and ll which have the same inclination as the inclination of the angle irons 38 and 39.

The applicator comprises a longitudinally extending bar 44 having extensions 45 and 46 formed by a rod passing through the bar 44 and similar extensions 41 and 48 at the other end.

The extensions rest respectively on the inclined surfaces 40 and 4|, and 38 and 39.

Mounted atop the bar 44 are a series of S- shaped applicators 50 which are made of spring stock and have flat, top applicating surfaces.

The applicator bar 44 is thus adapted to move upwardly relative to the tank 30 along the inclined surfaces to bring the applicators 50 into the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, so that the applicators 50 carry adhesive into engagement with the bottom of the container.

3 The spring steel ofthe applicators 50 insures that adhesive will be applied by each individual applicator despite irregularities in the bottom of movement about a fixed axis 84 on a frame 85 lo which is loosely hung on and suspended between I cross-pieces ill and tl l The upper end of rocker arm 63 is connected by a pin and slot connection to a horizontally reciprocalpusher bar it which extends through a slot 01 in the top of the end wall of tank so and is fixedly connected at its inner end to avertical bar 68' which extends downwardly into the tank and is received in the throat of a yoke bracket 69 fixedly extending from the applicator bar 44. A spring ll may be provided to continuously urge the pusher bar 66 in a direction towards the left as shown in Fig. 1.

Operation of the solenoid will therefore cause the pusher bar 66 to move to the right in Fig. 1 against the yielding action of spring to cause the applicator bar 44 to ride up the inclined surfaces in the tank with the yoke bracket 69 simultaneously riding up the vertical bar 68 until the applicators 50 are pressed against the bottom of the box. Immediately the solenoid is de-energized, spring I0 and gravity return the parts to the position shown in Fig. 1.

By the simple expedient of pivoting pusher bar 6 and vertical bar 68 upwardly out of yoke 68; the entire actuator bar is freed so it may be lifted out of the tank for cleaning purposes.

As illustrated by Fig. 3 any number of units may be suspended on the cross pieces depending upon the number of rows of adhesive splotches that are desired to be applied to the bottom of the box.

tor bar and means extending into said tank at a level above the normal level of the liquid in the tank but 'below the plane of the bottom of an article on said conveyor for relatively moving said members and said bar to raise said bar while maintaining its axis generally parallel to the beneath the plane of the bottom of'an article so supported on said means for holding liquid adhesive, longitudinally 'spaced members having inclined surfaces extendingin the same general direction in said tank, an applicator resting on said inclined members and movable thereon from a lower position submerged beneath the normal level of a liquid in said tank towards said plane to The normal liquid levelin the tank 30 is below the slot B'l-through which the pusher bar 66 extends, but it is above the tops of the applicators il in their lower inoperative position.

A highly eifective simple adhesive applicator for effective use in unit loading is thus provided, since this apparatus may be interposed as a station in a gravity or power conveyor, the solenoid beingoperated by a foot or hip switch II when a box is appropriately positioned at rest over the tank 30 and applicators 50. The operating mechanism in contact with the adhesive has no revolving parts-hence centrifugal throwing of adhesive is wholly eliminated, and dried adhesive does not seriously accumulate on any part of the apparatus. 7

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising a conveyor for moving articles along a plane so as to expose the bottom, portions of the articles, a tank for holding liquid adhesive beneath said conveyor, a longitudinally extended applicator bar in said tank having its longitudinal axis generally parallel to the plane of said conveyor, a pair of longitudinally spaced members having inclined surfaces supporting said applica- I faces;

a raised position extending above said liquid level, and a pusher bar for moving said applicator along the inclined surfaces of said members from its lower to its upper position, said pusher bar extending into said tank at a level above the normal level of the liquid in the tank but below the plane of the bottom of an article supported on the frame by the supporting means.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, laterally spaced means for supporting an article on said frame, atank disposed beneath the plane of the bottom of an article so supported on said means for holding liquid adhesive, longitudinally spaced members having inclined surfaces extending in the same general direction in said tank, an applicator resting on the inclined surface of said members and movable thereon from a lower position submerged beneath the normal level of a liquid in said tank towards said plane to a raised position extending above said liquid level, and means for moving said applicator along the inclined surfaces of said members from its lower to its upper position, said moving means being supported for reciprocation in a substantially horizontal plane disposed between the normal level of the liquid in the tank and the plane of the bottom of an article supported on the frame by said supporting means.

4. Apparatus as'claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for reiativelymoving said members and said bar includes a pusher bar supported for reciprocation in a substantially horizontal plane disposed between the normal level of the liquid in the tank and the plane of said supporting sur- I ALEXANDER w. MOFFAT.

REFERENCES ermn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date r 425,544 Lake Apr. 15, 1890 1,744,148 Sokolow .1. Jan. 21, 1930 

